Things Are Not Always As They Seem
by masenjar
Summary: Isabella was leading the best life possible until tragedy strikes. Will she remember her life before the accident?


**Hello everyone! Here is a little something for you. I hope you enjoy!**

**Thank you to the most amazing beta, hmmille, that helped me get this story out of my mind and onto paper.**

**As always, I own nothing.**

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><p>Isabella Swan was leading one of the best lives imaginable. It was like a dream come true—the right guy, the best lifestyle, and no major worries. Today was one of those days where she needed to make some important decisions. You see, she was scheduled to get married in a few months and still needed to choose her dress. Every time she shopped for a wedding dress, no one showed their support and would let her look at what she wanted. And when she'd finally found the perfect dress, her family pushed her to wait and make sure that there wasn't one better out there. This should have been the first sign that something was wrong in her world. Little did she know that life as she knew it would soon be ripped apart.<p>

Six months later:

Something wasn't right in Isabella's world, but she couldn't figure out what was missing. It was like everything around her wasn't what it used to be. There were people she thought she knew well, but then they turned out to be very different. For instance, the security guard Mrs. Parker was familiar, but Isabella thought it was because she was always at the park. She surveyed the people sitting around her that called themselves friends and thought, _something feels wrong_.

"Hey, B. Where'd you go?" Lauren nudged her friend.

After the accident Isabella was known as, B. It was a pet name that Mike had given her and everyone seemed to pick it up as well.

"Just thinking, no big deal." Not wanting her thoughts let loose, she kept her response short.

"If you say so, you've been acting kind of weird lately." She looked at Isabella as if her friend was a crazy person.

"No, I'm good."

"Are you getting nervous about the wedding?" Lauren said, quickly changing the subject.

Isabella sat there and smiled at her, hoping that was a good enough answer. Lauren patted her back and left to talk to some other friends. Isabella was supposed to get married soon to a man that oozed danger. She could sense something was off with him, but when she sought help, her mom said it was just nerves and it would pass. Little did Isabella know that her mother knew more than she was sharing. After sitting with her friends for another hour, she decided she needed a little time to herself, so she bid them goodbye and headed for her car.

"Where do you think you're going?" Frozen where she stood, recognition of the voice sent a chill down her spine, even though it shouldn't.

As she turned, standing by her was the man she was set to marry, Mike Newton. He was part of one of the most powerful families in town, and he was what everyone called a great catch. Even so, she always felt unsettled around him. There were times when they would be together and she couldn't remember things—almost like a black out—but she didn't have any way to prove it. Being a good actress, she put on a happy face and acted like everything was okay.

"I was just going to take a ride before heading over to my sister's house." She hoped this was a good enough answer for him.

"Sure, but don't be too long," he spat with venom in his voice. "We have dinner reservations tonight. Should I pick you up?" He ran his thumb across her cheek, quickly changing to sweet and caring.

"No, I'll meet you at the house." Her reply was quick, and then she gave him a chaste kiss and got into her car.

"I love you. Be careful," he shouted at her.

She drove as fast as she could. Isabella had the type of car most people only dreamed of. Her vehicle was considered one of the fastest sports cars on the market. It was the one thing she knew that had been around for a while, and there was just something about it that gave her a sense of home. It was the Vanquish that took her where she needed to go, and it was like it knew exactly where she needed to be. Isabella drove around town until she ended up at the one place that still held a mystery to her. It was the one house in town that no one talked about, but it was important for some reason. There was a familiar pull deep inside her soul as soon as she drove up. She had to get out of there quickly now and get to her sister's—she would help her get through the confusion. After driving to her house, she opened the front door and walked in without knocking.

"B, is that you?"

Isabella swore her sister was psychic. "Yes, Alice, how are you?" she answered as she walked into the living room where her sister was sitting on the couch.

"I'm good, but something is wrong. Come—sit and talk to me." Alice patted the seat next to her.

"It's the same thing. I went by that house, and I felt that familiar pull again."

Alice internally cringed knowing that this was dangerous territory they were headed into. She needed to think fast to keep her sister from asking anymore questions. "Oh, sweetie, you know if Mike finds out you were over there he'll be upset." She gave Isabella that look that said "Watch what you say."

"I know, I was just passing by it. Besides, Mike and I have dinner plans tonight, so I'm not about to ruin that."

Alice smiled at her sister with relief. "So, have you read anything new lately?"

This was odd of her to ask, but Isabella tried to stay calm. "Not really, I did check my Goodreads list and noticed something odd about my account. I could have sworn I read those vampire books all the girls were talking about, but instead, I guess I read the Harry Potter series. I'll have to get the vampire books next."

Alice's eyes bugged out of her head at that moment. The fact that recognition of those stories was mentioned made her scramble her thoughts for a distraction. Isabella noticed her sister turn white as a ghost and run out of the room. She sat there and tried to figure out what was said that would upset her sister. But before she could react, Alice returned with a book. It was hard bound with no title on the cover, but instantly Isabella felt the same unexplained pull toward it as she did with the house.

"Take this and don't let anyone see that you have it. Read it. You may not understand everything in there, but I promise it will help you with the answers."

Before Bella could ask any questions, Alice opened the book to the last page where a bright pink post it was stuck to the page. It was a note that Alice had written answering the main question weighing on her sister's mind at that exact moment.

_Yes, I will take you to the house._

Isabella gave a quick nod then hugged her sister with tightly. As far as she knew, Alice was the only one that ever understood her.

"Thank you, Alice. I need to get going."

"You guys have fun tonight. Let me know how the restaurant is because I want Peter to take me there."

"I'll let you know." They hugged each other one more time before saying goodbye.

Isabella waved and left the home, book in hand.

She drove to Mike's house and stowed the book in the glove box. Thankfully, Mike didn't go near her car. As she entered the house and heard the sounds of people in another room, frustration overtook her emotions. _Great—more people. Can't I get a_ _break?_

"There's my girl." Mike wrapped his arms around her from behind.

Instinctively she recoiled before she could stop herself. "I thought we were going to dinner? Why is everyone here?"

"Oh, they're leaving. I was passing the time with them while I waited for you to come home. How's your sister?"

What Isabella didn't know was exactly what Mike did with his friends while "passing the time." She only knew what he told her. Mike was not the usual guy that had parties—no he held blood gatherings. These were where innocents were brought into his group to be drained of their blood. It was a nasty sight afterward, but he always seemed to keep Isabella from seeing any of it. Some things were better left hidden in his mind.

"She's good. Alice asked me to give her a review of the new restaurant so she can convince Peter to take her."

"Well, I wanted it to be a surprise, but Peter is going to bring Alice tonight with us."

This was great news for Isabella. "That's great. I'm excited to go. I just need to change quickly."

"Sounds good, I'll get everyone out of here, and then once you're ready, we'll leave."

Isabella ran upstairs to Mike's bedroom. She kept some clothing there since the wedding wasn't that far away. He insisted that she started moving some of her things in because he wanted it to feel like her home too. It felt so foreign, but in a way he was right since she would be here full time soon. Quickly, she changed and went back downstairs. Before she reached the last step, she saw Mike looking in the mirror above the small table that sits against the main wall of the foyer. She instantly stopped and ducked behind a tall potted palm plant, peeking through the fronds to see what he was doing. His eyes were glowing red, which was considerably odd. And then there was movement on the other side of the room. That's when she saw her supposed friend Jessica walk up to Mike.

"You know that I'm better than her. Why do you keep her around?" Jessica was running her hands up and down his body.

"Shut up, she's much better than you are. You'll never really measure up, but you do have a purpose."He then grabbed her and kissed her hard on the lips.

Another thing Mike needed was a mate. Isabella was a prize, but he needed someone to ravage like an animal and not have any emotion towards. This was where Jessica fit in perfectly. She was part of his inner circle of minions that he could depend on to fulfill his primal needs. Jessica didn't know that she would eventually die when he was married to Isabella, and he wasn't about to tell her either.

With disgust flooding through her emotions, Isabella quickly ran back upstairs to the bedroom in a panic. Shock began taking over. She couldn't believe what she had just witnessed. First the red eyes and then Jessica and Mike kissing—ahhh! Isabella wanted to race away and never look back, but something was keeping her there. It was an unknown feeling, one that drew her to specific places within the city where she lived.

"B, are you ready?" Mike yelled.

She composed herself and calmly went back downstairs, where he stood waiting like nothing out of the ordinary had just occurred. As they left for dinner, she plastered a fake smile on her face and acted like everything in the world was perfect..

"What is the name of this restaurant again?" She couldn't remember and figured it would be a good way to think of something else.

"Cullen's," Mike said.

_Cullen's. Why does that seem so familiar?_

The restaurant was familiar indeed because the owner was someone that Mike wanted to destroy. Mike knew that bringing his fiancée there to dine would cause tension, and it just might push his enemy out of hiding. There was a chance that Isabella would find the name familiar, but other than that she wouldn't remember without help from an outside source. Mike had made sure that anything having to do with the Cullen's was left out of her life completely, or so he had thought.

"You okay?" Mike asked and grabbed her hand.

"Yeah," she whispered as she looked out the window.

They arrived at the restaurant, leaving the car with the valet. As they entered the restaurant hand in hand, that same pull from earlier in the day hit Isabella again. She looked around and everything seemed very familiar. Her breathing started to become erratic, goose bumps covered her body, and her hands began to shake. The fear that she might not make it to their table was a real threat until she saw Alice and Peter waiting for them at the bar. Rushing to Alice's side, Isabella grabbed her sister's hand and told the guys they needed to freshen up before dinner. As if she read her mind, Alice knew what she needed and followed behind her without question. Once they reached the ladies room, they made sure the space was empty before locking the door.

"What the hell, Alice? Why does this place have a pull to it too? I can't do this tonight—Mike, red eyes—I just can't." Nearly hyperventilating, Isabella sat on the padded bench in the dressing room part of the bathroom.

"Shhh, it's okay. I knew this would happen. B, we need to get you out of here quickly. Can you fake being sick? I've been waiting for this to happen, and I'll be able to help you."

Since words failed her, Isabella shook her head up and down, letting Alice know she was willing to play along. Before she knew it, tears were running down her flushed cheeks. Faking sick wouldn't be a problem for Isabella since she was already on the verge of collapsing. Holding her stomach and leaning on Alice, the two women left the bathroom in search of their escorts. The guys were sitting at the table, nonchalantly chatting as if they owned the place. Peter noticed the girls first and stood up, drawing Mike's attention to them.

"What's the matter?" Mike stood up, as his chair scraped across the floor loudly .

"She's really sick. I'm going to take her home," Alice replied.

"I can take her." Mike went to take Isabella away from her sister.

"No, it's okay. Besides, you two should have a guy's night. You won't be single much longer." Alice was a sly one since Mike never could say no to a guy's night.

A frustrated look took over his features before he answered. "Sure, I'll see you tomorrow then." Mike kissed her cheek quickly.

Peter gave Alice the keys to his car and told Isabella to feel better. They left and headed toward Isabella's real home.

Panic caused Isabella's blood to grow cold when she remembered her car was at Mike's house. There was something in it that she needed desperately.

"Wait, Alice, I left the book in my car. I need to get it."

"No, we can't go there right now. You can get it tomorrow."

She didn't really understand her sister in that moment, but knew that she needed to stay calm. Once they arrived at their parent's house, they noticed that no one was home, but decided to keep up the charade and Isabella continued to play sick. As the girls settled in at the house, they turned a few lights on and headed up to Isabella's room. Alice busied herself with getting the room ready for what looked like a teenaged sleepover. She even had pajamas for the both of them to wear, all bases were covered for the show they were about to put on. Once everything was to Alice's liking, she signaled for her sister to follow her.

"Remember the note in the back of the book?" she asked.

"Yes. Are we going now?"

Before Alice could answer, her phone rang and it was Peter. Nervousness was what Isabella felt knowing that her acting skills were not the best. She listened as her sister talked to him quickly, and then hung up.

"Does he know that something's up?" Isabella asked, worried.

"No, he was letting me know that they were going to hit the town, and they wouldn't be back until tomorrow." Alice smiled slyly.

"Good, I need a break from him. I always feel like something's wrong."

"You saw the red eyes, didn't you?"

_What the hell? She knew? _"Yes, how did you know?"

"Are you kidding me? I've known about them for a while. I just didn't know when you would figure it out."

"Alice, this isn't making sense. I need to get out of here. I can't breathe." Isabella began breathing quickly, gasping for air. Tears began to form and threatened to spill over.

"Just breathe. We're going to the house." Alice quickly helped her out the back door where they walked to the one place that felt right.

Soon, the two sisters stood in front of _the _house. It was a modern home with just enough windows to let the sunlight cross through the rooms. The two stories looked dark and lonely from the street. No one had entered that house in months, and anyone that passed by didn't give it a second look. The rumor was that the previous owners had faced a terrible tragedy. This was something that caused Isabella to visit it in secret, with the hope that she would see into its secrets. Not being able to help herself, Isabella walked up to the front door and tried to turn the handle. It was locked.

"Do you know where the key is?" Alice asked her as if she knew something and that she should too.

"I think so." Isabella looked around the dark porch for a clue.

It took her a minute before a flash of the porch from a different time quickly went through her mind, but it was as if she had been here before. It was a scene of familiarity, of a time on the porch where discovery of little nooks and crannies was played out. With a sudden recollection, Isabella knew that the key was hidden under a small stone at the right of the door frame. She lifted the stone up and found a silver house key sitting there. As she picked it up, she could feel the heaviness of secrets in her palm. The key went into the lock without a fight, opening the door to a different world.

"You okay?" Alice asked cautiously.

Isabella was at a loss for words in that moment. She was taken aback by the room in front of her. The entry way was painted in light colors that made the room seen larger than life. There were little ornate pieces along the walls. From the moment you stepped inside, it felt like home. The only drawback was the dust that had built up as a result of its abandoned state. Sheets adorned the furniture as if someone knew they would return to this place. Isabella walked around taking it all in when she ended up in the living room.

Before taking another step, a new flash occurred where she was in the room with people and there was a celebration. After that jolt, she remembered a painting above the mantel. As she looked towards the empty fire place, she noticed something covered above the stone mantle. Walking over to it and pulling the sheet down, what Isabella saw caused her legs to give out and fall to the hard, dusty ground. The painting was of a girl that looked just like Isabella with a strange man holding her from behind. She was unable to see his face since it looked as if the man was nuzzling the woman's neck. It gave her chills as she continued to regard it, knowing the couple in the picture appeared extremely happy at the time of the painting. Shaking her head to get it clear, she realized Alice was sitting on the floor not far from her, crying with a picture frame clenched in her hands.

"What is this Alice? What are you not telling me?"

"You have to remember, B. I can't do that for you. I never forgot, but I wasn't supposed to."

"What do you mean?" Isabella got up from the floor and went to her sister.

"It's in the book."

Pure frustration flowed through Isabella's body. "Ugh, that book. I can't do this Alice. I need to know why my life seems like such a mess." Tears began to flow down her cheeks.

Alice handed her the picture she was clinging to. Isabella took a seat in one of the covered chairs and studied the photo in the frame. It was of a man that she couldn't remember ever meeting. Before she could react to the image any further, footsteps sounded from back of the house. Isabella shot up from the chair in a panic, quickly grabbing onto Alice while fearing that Mike had followed them here. For some reason he didn't want her to ever come near this house. The footsteps grew closer to the sitting room and she began to shake with fear.

"If you're going to look around this house, don't you think you should stay away from the windows?" The masculine voice was sweet like honey and sounded so familiar, but it wasn't Mike or Peter.

"Who are you?" Isabella asked, hoping to get some easy answers.

"You should know."

She looked to Alice, but her sister wouldn't return her gaze. Something wasn't right and Isabella could feel it, so she did the only thing she could. Isabella ran from the house, her sister, and the familiar voice. After running for what felt like forever, she arrived at her parent's house, but something was different. When she reached the driveway, a sense of confusion clouded her mind, her car was now at her house. Panic rose inside of her until she saw a note on the windshield tucked under the left wiper blade.

_You'll need this._

There was no signature and it didn't look like Mike's writing. She was curious as to who could've brought her car over to the house. When she tried the driver's side door, it was unlocked and the keys were sitting on the seat. Isabella moved quickly, opening the glove box and grabbing the book. After leaving the car, she locked it with the remote and ran up to her bedroom. The house was still empty with no sign of her parents stopping in, so she knew she'd have some privacy.

Isabella sat in her corner—the one where she could always think, read, and escape from the world. The book felt hot in her hands as if the information inside could literally burn her. She prepared herself before she opened it by taking a few deep breaths. As soon as she opened the cover, tears began to flow just at the sight of the handwriting. It was so familiar—just like the note on her car—but this writing was a little different. Isabella gathered herself and began to read.

_Today is one of the best days of my life. The girl of my dreams said that she would marry me. It's more than I could ever ask for. She's my world as I'm hers, and nothing could ever break that._

Something inside of her began to stir and caused her to feel torn. In that moment she knew what she needed, something—anything—that she could hold onto like an anchor. Isabella dug through her closet and found something that she hadn't seen in a while. Cards. These cards weren't just regular playing cards, but sight cards. They had the future for her and the people closest to her printed on them. These cards had been passed to her from her grandmother who was a seer. She knew her granddaughter held the power to see the future change through the cards. It was an old magic that was only passed to the chosen ones in the family. Alice had something similar but her sight was within the present day, not the future. Both girls learned to harness this gift so it didn't interfere with their daily lives.

Unfortunately for Isabella, she wasn't able to remember these powers, but she could still feel the connection to the cards. When her skin touched the paper, she instantly recalled seeing the cards the day of the accident. The pictures had changed. The cards showed Mike and her married, but she could've sworn before the accident occurred there was a different picture. Isabella held onto them tightly as she felt a buzzing sensation run through her skin, and then she turned back to the book. The pages were dated which helped Isabella find the date of the accident to see if the journal would tell her anything.

_Today was the worst day of my life. I found out that if I stayed with my love it would kill her. I can't see her die because she's my world. She deserves something better. I told her that we couldn't be together anymore and told her to leave. I got into my car and she got into hers, the one I bought her as a wedding present. It was her favorite, an Aston Martin Vanquish._

My car—it's my car. Why is my car in this diary? Coincidence? Is that why Mike won't go near it?

_I couldn't even look at her. I drove off quickly, but she followed me. She wasn't going to take this easily, and I knew she would chase after me. She was getting close so I had to think fast, and I crashed my car. I saw her panic and watched her pick up those damn cards. The ones that told me she would die. Something upset her, and as she turned the car she ran into oncoming traffic. I didn't know what to do, so I ran away. I found my younger brother, Jasper, and he was with his wife Alice. I told them that I had to leave and that our family would disappear. I let Alice know that Isabella was to forget about me and not remember. I knew that Alice would take care of her, so I left._

At this point, Isabella was crying so hard that she didn't hear anyone enter the room. A warm hand pressed onto her shoulder, which caused her to turn and look up to see Alice and an unfamiliar man.

"How far have you gotten?" Alice asked, nodding her head at the book in my lap.

Not being able to speak, Isabella turned the book to face her sister. She shook her head and took the book from her. With speed Alice flipped through the pages until she reached the last entry.

"Here, read this." She handed the book back to her sister and sat on the bed.

The strange man never moved from his spot in the doorway. He was a regal looking man, almost aged to perfection. He had blonde hair with a little salt and pepper in his sideburns, and was dressed impeccably in an Armani suit. Isabella never once felt threatened by this man, so there was hope that she would remember something.

_My Isabella,_

_You are the most beautiful woman I have ever known. You stole my heart a while ago and I don't ever think I'll get it back. Today I watched you talking to your friends. You looked happy, and it made me happy. Alice came to me a few days ago and told me that I needed to come rescue you because you were drowning. I wasn't sure what she meant until I saw you with him. Mike Newton, he will destroy you, probably already has. I don't know what to write, so here is the truth. Isabella, you are my world and I would do anything for you. When you read this, you will have been to my restaurant, _Cullen's_. You'll have also gone to what was once our home. I can imagine that you have many questions and still haven't been able to put the pieces together. I need you to do something for me. I need you to follow Alice and my father, Carlisle. They will take you where you need to go and answer your questions. I can't tell you anything else. I hope it's not too late and that Alice has kept her promise to take care of you. I love you more than I can convey. I was wrong to ever leave you and will work on making that up to you every day of my life. Please go, be safe, and know that I'm not far behind you._

_Love,_

_Your Edward._

Isabella looked at the date of the letter and thought she was going crazy. The letter was dated mere days ago. How could this be possible? And who was this Isabella? Everyone called her B, so how in the world was she connected to this? Confusion was taking over and she felt trapped in her own skin.

"B, I mean, Isabella, you need to come with us."

Startled, she looked to her sister. "My name—why did I never know my real name?"

"You weren't supposed to. I was told to make sure you forgot everything about your life before." Alice was now sobbing.

"Who's Jasper? Was he the man in the picture earlier?" As Isabella asked, her sister began to cry harder.

"Yes, he was my husband. I had to leave him in order to protect you. That's why I got into a relationship with Peter so quickly. His best friend is the man that saved you the day of the accident."

"Mike? He was there—I remember. He helped me out of the car. The car…" Panic had begun to set in, and Isabella was having a hard time breathing.

"Isabella, if I may—I'm Carlisle. I'll be happy to answer your questions, but first you need to calm down."

Isabella looked towards the kind man in the doorway and felt instantly at ease with him. She still couldn't put the pieces together, but knew Alice and trusted that she would take care of her. As fast as she could, she got up from her spot on the floor and went over to her sister. The girls comforted each other with a hug, and Isabella began to calm down enough to speak.

"Ask him, it's the only way you will know," she said.

"Why does Mike stay away from my car?" Isabella looked to Carlisle waiting for an answer.

"It's protected against his kind," he said matter of factly.

"Protected? His kind? I don't understand."

"Let us show you then. It's the only way." Carlisle gestured to Alice that it was time to go.

Before they left, Isabella made sure she had her cards and the book. It felt right to have them with her.

Carlisle made a snorting sound. "Those cards—they are something."

She didn't understand his comment and it didn't feel like the appropriate time to ask. Before she knew it, they were seated in her car. Carlisle kindly asked Isabella to drive and told her that she would know where to go. She backed out of the driveway and went toward the one and only place she always wanted to go but hadn't been to in years—her childhood home. When Alice and Isabella graduated high school, their parents wanted to stay close by, so they bought a second home and kept the old house in case one of them wanted it. It was a four hour drive, but it didn't matter—she knew deep down that she needed to be there. The drive was quiet until something caught her eye in the rear view mirror. They were being followed.

"Someone's behind us," she said.

"It's Mike and Peter. They knew something was up tonight. I thought we could fool them, but I should've known better," Alice explained.

Isabella's hands began to shake, and the car swerved off the road a bit.

"Calm down my dear. No one will hurt you while you're in this car. Remember that it's protected. If you stop, he will try to get you out, and we need to get to our destination before that happens," Carlisle stated evenly.

Carlisle's voice had a calming effect on her and she immediately felt at ease. Knowing that she was safe, she kept driving. Mike and Peter never lagged behind the car, but they maintained their safe distance. Isabella saw glowing red eyes in the rear view mirror, and realized that not only were they Mike's but Peter's eyes too. As they finally made it to the house, she noticed it was lit up like someone was home. There were also other cars in the driveway. Before she could figure out who the cars belonged to, Carlisle gave her instructions.

"When you've parked the car, run to the porch. Do not go into the house, just stay on the porch. It's protected—the entire house is," Carlisle informed me.

"Why can't I go inside?" This had her thinking that something was wrong with this situation.

"Because, you aren't ready to face what's in there yet. Please trust me." Carlisle smiled at me.

What Isabella didn't know was that her family was inside of the house. Not just her parents, but her other family. When Carlisle had come up with a plan to help reunite his son and Isabella, he wanted to help her remember gradually. He decided to have them stay out of sight in the house until she was ready. Unfortunately, Carlisle didn't plan for unpleasant company.

"Go, you don't have much time. Mike is fast and he will grab you before you can get there if you don't go now," Carlisle said sternly.

Isabella nodded her head in agreement and left the car, running like never before. She was almost to the porch when she heard his breathing, almost like a wild animal was on her heels. He was right behind her—so close. She knew she needed to get her feet on the porch, and not a second sooner than when her foot made contact did he back away.

"Bella, will you please come here? You ran and I don't know why. It's just me," Mike said sincerely.

She looked around and confusion hit her once again. But before she could process her feelings, she felt as if something deep inside her was awoken.

"My name is Isabella, not B or Bella." When she said this, Mike's eyes grew large.

"I'm no longer yours." Isabella took the three carat ring off of her finger and chucked it at his head.

"You'll always be mine, B. You have no one else." He laughed evilly.

"I don't care, I'd rather be alone than with you. You and Jessica can be together now." Isabella had no trouble asserting her newly found confidence.

Mike began to pace in front of her. Peter had yet to be seen, but she was sure he was out there waiting. Isabella began to feel a pull coming from the inside of the house. She wanted nothing more than to go in but heeded Carlisle's words. As she looked towards her car, she noticed that no one was inside anymore. That was odd, but what about this day wasn't?

"Hey B, will you come over here for a minute? I need your help. Alice was walking towards me when she tripped. I think she's hurt," Peter yelled over to her.

This was a trick to lure Isabella off of the porch. Alice had been away from the group for a few minutes. Peter was trying to help his desperate friend by hitting her week spot. Isabella began to move off of the porch, and Mike stayed where he was until one of her feet came off of the steps. And then she was hit with another memory flash. She was a little girl, and Alice was playing with Mike and Peter. Isabella was leaving the house when Mike came over and grabbed her, but then they changed from little kids to adults. He proceeded to push her down and kick her repeatedly. Her mind returned to the present, and Isabella found herself lying on the ground holding her stomach while looking up at Mike, his eyes shining bright red.

"You think you can run away from me?" Mike said through clenched teeth.

She couldn't do anything but lie there. Panic began to take over, her skin became clammy and her breathing was erratic before she blacked out. It was like her mind took her to another world. Memories began to flood her mind. One was of her sister trying on dresses and asking her if she liked them. Isabella could see that she looked different, and she looked happy.

"Isabella, you're getting married. I can't believe this. Edward is such a good man."

"Alice, he's my world. I couldn't be happier. I just wish I could pick my dress and everyone would leave me alone. I found this dress that was perfect, but mom told me to wait to buy it in case something better came along."

"You need to do what makes you happy. If you love the dress, get it."

The memories morphed into a different scene next. She was at her new home, the one she was always drawn to, celebrating with her family.

"Isabella, may I speak with you," a man said to her sweetly. It must be Edward, her mind was trying to make the connection.

"Yes, of course."

Once again the scene moved to another room—their bedroom.

"Do you know how much I love you? Do you know that I'd never do anything to hurt you?"

"Yes, Edward, what's going on?"

At this point she was able to see that it was him after all. He was a very handsome man. Even watching him from what felt like a distance, she was naturally drawn to him.

"We can't get married. I won't see you hurt."

"What do you mean?"

"I saw the cards, they showed me your death."

"We all die, Ed—"

"No, listen. You are going to die soon. If we get married, something will happen."

"Stop, you're scaring me. What do you mean? I love you."

"I'm leaving. You need to move on and forget about me. "

The memories faded to black. Isabella was once again lost in a sea of darkness, and she didn't know how to get out.

He watched her run to the house. Mike was right behind her, and Edward thought for sure that he would grab her, but she made it. Relief swept over him until he saw Mike's buddy, Peter, get out of the car. He was hidden in the darkness, but Edward could see him perfectly. Alice and Carlisle had made their escape when Isabella ran, so Edward knew they were safe. Now he needed to get her away from the enemy, but he must wait for her to remember.

All of a sudden, Peter yelled over to her with a fraudulent story about Alice. He hoped she wouldn't believe the lie, but he was wrong. She started to walk towards Peter and once her foot hit the ground, she fell. Mike now had her, and Edward knew this meant trouble. She wasn't moving and this concerned him until a conversation he had a few days prior popped into his mind.

"She needs to remember, Edward. You wanted this. You said that you would disappear, and I had to make her forget."

"I know, but I love her."

"If you come into her life now, she will get confused and Mike will win. You need to take this slowly."

"Do you really think giving you my journal will help?"

"She will feel it, just like she does when she passes by the house. Do you trust me?"

"Yes, I always have. Here, give it to her. I'll see you in a few days."

After their conversation, Edward ran back to his brothers and family. Now all he could do was wait and see what happened.

"You know that a watched pot never boils."

He turned to see Jasper behind him. His brother had it hard too. He left his wife to be by his brother's side. This was a debt that Edward wasn't sure he could ever repay.

"I know, but something is wrong. She's been out of it for too long. Look." He pointed down to her still figure on the ground.

"She's remembering." Alice said behind both the guys.

Jasper grabbed her quickly and held her tight. They hadn't seen each other since the day of the accident. The love between them was palpable. Jasper held her tightly, not wanting to let go. Sobs rocked Alice's body as relief from being back with her soul mate came over them. Jasper gave her one last squeeze and helped wipe away her tears. A quick vision into the present is all it took to snap Alice out of her emotional state.

Edward became more concerned and began to ask more questions. "How do you know? What about him?" He looked over to Mike, who was standing over Isabella like a predator waiting for her eyes to open.

"He isn't sure what's happening. He won't hurt her yet."

_Yet? Oh, Isabella._

Edward turned around to watch some more, with the hope that she truly was remembering.

Isabella continued to stay lost in the darkness, but her soul came alive again. She didn't feel scared or nervous, but she was suddenly stronger than ever. Before she could come into the light, a vision came to her. Another gift she was blessed with that had been hidden. This time, she was in the hospital after the car accident. The scene in that room was morbid, and she was hooked up to many different wires and tubes. She lay as still as the dead while the machines kept her breathing. Her face was swollen with multiple cuts and bruises, and she had one arm in an air cast. The rest of her injuries were internal, and she was still healing from surgery. Even though she wasn't conscious at the time, she had visitors that very rarely left, like Alice and Carlisle.

"He asked that you get rid of anything that would remind her of him."

"I've already cleaned out her room at our parents, and her car was destroyed."

"He replaced it because he didn't want her to be without it. No matter what story you tell her, cover up why that car is back. It needs to stay with her."

"But won't it remind her?"

"No, there are no connections that she'll be able to make except the ones you give her."

"Does she read?"

"Yes, she just read those vampire books. The Twilight Series."

"Erase them from her Kindle account. "

"Why? She won't make the connection. It's not like you guys are the same thing."

"This is true, but she might make a connection. She's smart, and you have to get rid of everything."

"Okay, I'll do it."

"Please call me if you need anything. I'll be close by. I'm sure my son will be in contact as well."

Isabella watched Alice shake her head as Carlisle walked away. Before he left, he came to the side of her bed and kissed her forehead.

"Take care, precious girl."

The vision was over. She was back in the void again, but could still hear voices. Mike, Peter, and Jessica were waiting for her to wake up. She could feel herself coming back from unconsciousness, and decided that she would try to open her eyes.

"B, are you okay? You fell and hit your head. I was so worried," Mike feigned concern toward her.

She knew Mike was lying, but decided to play along with his game. "Where am I? Mike, what happened?" she said weakly.

"Oh, sweetie, when I pulled up you were so excited you started running toward the car and tripped. You must have hit your head hard because you've been out for a bit."

"She's awake, look." Alice pointed down to the ground where Mike was helping Isabella up.

"Something is different, I can feel it." Jasper was always connected to her like that. He knew her emotions better than Alice or Edward.

They needed to get closer, so they moved down toward the ground where it was easier see and hear everything and not be detected. Alice left the two men alone while she retreated into the safety of the house.

"Mike, I'm so sorry. I'm so happy to see you."

Edward felt like his insides might fall apart from her words. He wanted to walk away but was stopped by something large—his older brother, Emmett.

"Dude, if you run away this time, I'm not coming after you. I just spoke to Alice, who says that Isabella remembers. Just give her a minute."

He was right, Edward was being a coward again. He immediately turned back toward his love and watched.

"B, it's okay. I'll take you home. We can get your car tomorrow." Mike took her hand but she ripped it back as if his very touch burned.

Disgust was the only emotion that she could feel in that moment. Jasper relayed to his brother how much hatred was coming from her in that moment. After all this time of being fooled into a different life, he could feel that she'd had enough. The guys knew she needed to make her move and fast. They knew it was only a matter of time before Mike seized the upper hand.

"No, I want to stay here tonight." This was different and I could see in her expression that she did remember.

"You need to see a doctor. Please, just come with me."

"No."

Then it happened, his eyes turned red right in front of her. I couldn't believe that he revealed himself like that.

When Isabella saw his red eyes, she knew he was right where she wanted him. So she began to walk around him in a taunting manner. For some reason he didn't move and neither did his friends. She was now the predator sizing up her prey.

"So, Mike, how long did you plan on lying to me?"

No answer from Mike, only heavy breathing while his nostrils flared. Yep, he was pissed.

"See, I remember it all." She tapped her temple. "My life before you—I always felt like something was off or missing. I couldn't figure it out, though."

"You're mine," he seethed.

"No, Mike. I'm not and never will be."

"B, you don't know what you're saying," Peter said.

"You know what? I do know what I'm saying. My name is Isabella, by the way." She could feel her inner power begin to grow stronger.

He looked at her in complete shock, and Mike began to walk towards her, stopping her from circling. Before he reached her, she felt a presence—_someone_ else was here. She looked around only to see Alice and Carlisle approaching.

"Mike, you're not looking so good."

"You bitch! What did you do to her?" Mike was shaking mad at this point. His eyes were glowing a deep, angry red.

Alice laughed at him. "Nothing, she remembered all on her own."

"You did something. Did you tell her? Is that why she came here?" Mike was clenching his hands into fists, ready to pounce at any minute.

"Nope, she figured it out completely on her own." Alice stood in front of him mockingly with a wide grin stretched across her face.

At that moment, Isabella saw a light out of the corner of her eye. She turned to see six sets of glowing eyes—only they weren't red but yellow. Yellow eyes signify good and those who didn't drink human blood. Unlike Mike and his human blood gatherings, they drank from animals which caused their eyes to turn a golden yellow color. Carlisle, Alice, Esme, Jasper, Rosalie, and Emmett—they were all here and she recognized every single one of them. Isabella fell to her knees and began to cry. Her family was standing in front of her, but Edward was nowhere in sight.

"Enough, Michael. You may now leave. My daughter doesn't want you around," Isabella's father's voice spoke loud and clear.

She looked up to find him standing in the doorway with her mother by his side. They were here, and that was why they weren't at their current house. Isabella and Alice's parents were what you would call protectors. Being blessed with two gifted children had given them the role of protecting beyond the normal parent type duty. They were to lay their life down if needed for them. They laid low and hid the truth from their daughter, hoping that one day she would remember her past, but they never expected it to come to this. In this moment, her father was willing to do anything to save his little girl's life.

"She's mine, I refuse to leave without her."

Isabella knew that she needed to say something or else this situation would get worse.

"I'd rather die than be with you."

An evil smile appeared on his face and before she knew it, she was lying on the ground dying.

It couldn't be—she lay on the ground, her precious life leaving her body. It was happening just like those cards said. Edward hated those cards. He stayed away to save her, but she was dying anyway.

"Son, you need to help her or she won't last much longer," Carlisle said to Edward as he approached.

"I can't."

"She loves you, and you're the only one that can save her."

Edward knew he was right. Only someone's other half can save their match, so he ran towards her.

"Isabella, I'm here."

"Edward, you came back," she whispered as reached toward him.

"Always for you, my love." He took her hand and placed a gentle kiss on her palm.

Before Edward helped her, he saw Mike trying to sneak away. He needed to die before he could do anymore damage. Signaling for his brothers and Rosalie, they attacked Mike and his friends. After quickly destroying them, they burned the bodies, and he turned back to Isabella.

"Edward, help me," she said to him weakly.

The tension in the air was so thick it could have been cut with a knife. Isabella's parents had joined the group surrounding their daughter. In that moment, they wished more than anything that they could switch places with her. Carlisle stood with his wife, Esme, holding her. The others watched as their brother had a decision to make—save her or let her die. Edward never wanted to turn Isabella into a vampire, it was something he struggled with the first time he thought she was going to die. But the one thing he didn't know about those cards was that they showed her future by his side like him. Even though he saw her dead, she was really just changed. With his choice in mind, he leaned over her, bit into her neck, and drank.

Her body didn't struggle, it relaxed like it knew what was happening, and welcomed it. Edward could feel her body changing under his hands. He stopped drinking from her and waited. This was one decision he'd never regret, saving his true love.

*****A month later** ***

"Do you, Edward Anthony Cullen, take Isabella Marie Swan, to be your wife?"

Just hearing those words was music to her ears. Isabella stood next to the love of her life as they said their vows to each other. She was wearing her dream dress, and her life couldn't have been better. Isabella knew from the moment she awoke in Edwards's arms that her life was back. She felt whole again knowing that he was next to her forever.

"I now pronounce you man and wife. I introduce to you, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Cullen."

From that moment on her world would be different. She was now a vampire like Edward with a few special gifts. The cards remained in her life, but she only used them when needed. She learned to hunt animals and developed her speed and strength. She was living her dream being married to Edward, and knew that there was nothing but adventures ahead.

THE END.

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><p><strong>So what did you think? <strong>

**Note: For those of you following Beneath Her Gaze I'm working on the next chapter. Hopefully it'll be done by the weekend!**


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